


Ours

by euphoric_vibes



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-18
Updated: 2014-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-12 23:52:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1205134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euphoric_vibes/pseuds/euphoric_vibes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis had always known that he wanted children. Growing up with four little sisters some people might’ve thought he wouldn’t want his own. Absolutely not the case with Louis, he loved kids, he was good with kids, it was something that just came natural to him. He’d always thought he’d end up being the parent that loved his kids more, spoiled them the most, let them get their way the most. Then he met Liam, Liam was almost like a big kid himself, who loved kids just as much as he did. It didn’t take Louis long at all, he was absolutely certain within the first four months of dating Liam that he wanted to marry him, that he wanted his kids with Liam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ours

**Author's Note:**

> A little bit of lilo fluff based off of this AU by Carrie (turntogrey): http://turntogrey.tumblr.com/post/73730059330/au-married-couple-liam-and-louis-tomlinson-payne

Liam was woken from his sleep by a little pinprick on his arm. Thinking it was his husband he just shook it off and burrowed deeper under his covers.

Then he felt a sharper pinch in the same spot, along with a light exasperated sigh.

“Papa wake up.”

Liam stirred then, poking his head out from under the duvet to gaze sleepily at his eight year old daughter. He glanced at the clock and let out a groan.

“Erin, sweetheart it’s five in the morning. You don’t have to be up for another two hours.” he told her.

“Papa I don’t feel good. My head feels this big!” she threw her hands out as far as she could to show him.

“That big huh?” Liam yawned, pushing up on his elbows.

“It feels like it’s going like this.” Erin made a fist and then opened and closed it a few times to show him her head was throbbing.

Liam finally woke up enough to comprehend what Erin was telling him.

“Sweetheart, you might be sick. Let’s go take your temperature.” Liam climbed out of bed and directed her into his bathroom, sitting her up on the counter while he rummaged though the cabinet.

“Sick? I can’t be sick. I haven’t even thrown up yet.” she told him.

“Well let’s hope you don’t, because that’s not fun for anyone.” Liam found the thermometer. “Mouth open.”

Erin took the thermometer in her mouth and held it while Liam started going through the cabinet under the sink, pulling out a bottle of children’s flu medicine and chewable aspirin. Erin frowned at him when she saw it.

“You may not even need the medicine. Definitely the aspirin though.” he said.

Erin looked slightly less put out. The thermometer beeped and Liam pulled it from her mouth.

“No fever.” he picked up the bottle of aspirin. “But if you take these it’ll help your headache.”

“Is that the bubble gum kind or the grape flavored kind, because if it’s the grape one I rather keep the headache.”

“It surely doesn’t matter because you’re taking it either way.” Liam knew already it wasn’t the kind she liked.

“But Papa it’s disgusting.” Erin fixed him with a look that made him shift and rethink his stand. It was the same pleading look that his husband gave when he was trying to get his way. And it almost always worked.

Almost.

“Daddy needs to stop showing you how to do those looks. Pretty soon you’re going to start turning them on him and then he’s going to be in trouble. Take them.”

Liam shook out two of the tiny pills and handed them to her. She popped them in her mouth and made a face at their taste.

“Should’ve woke Daddy up instead then.” Erin grumbled.

“And what do you think he would’ve done that I didn’t?” Liam smiled.

“He would’ve just let me in the bed and not have made me take any medicine at all.” she said.

“It’s going to help you feel better, Erin, trust me.” Liam assured her.

She just shrugged her shoulders.

“And it’s still early, we don’t have to be up for a bit, so you can come lie down with us.”

That seemed to be the only thing Erin was shooting for. She smiled and then wrapped her arms around Liam’s neck, he had no choice but to scoop her up in his arms.

“You’re getting heavy.” he teased, hoisting her up a bit farther.

“You’re just getting old Papa.” Erin told him.

“Well thanks. That’s lovely to hear.” Liam blew a raspberry against her cheek, making her squeal and squirm in his arms. Liam carried her back to the bed and dropped her in the middle. She scurried under the duvet and settled against the pillows, once Liam got in next to her she cuddled up to his side and was back to sleep within seconds.

~

Louis woke up to the sound of crying coming through the baby monitor. He wasn’t sure if he’d been dreaming it or not. His ears were sensitive and auto tuned to any sort of distressed sound either of his daughters made. So when he first heard it, he waited, just to be sure it was a real cry. When he heard it louder, and a little more desperate, he knew he needed to get up. He turned over to find his oldest daughter, curled up in the space between him and Liam, her arm thrown over Liam’s face while Liam snored away. Louis thought it a bit odd to wake up to find her in their bed. Normally when she asks to sleep with them it’s because she’s scared, and even then, she wakes up Louis. He was curious to know why she’d chosen Liam this time.

His thoughts were broken again by an even louder cry and Louis remembered he had his little one waiting for him. Louis pushed the duvet back climbed out of bed, he didn’t even bother putting on a shirt. He shuffled into his three year olds room, finding her sat up in her toddler bed. Cheeks wet and flushed, face scrunched.

“Daisy honey.” Louis cooed, scooping her up in his arms. Louis instantly knew something was off with her, she was warm, even through her pajamas, he could feel her body temperature was higher than normal.

Daisy gasped and then coughed, and Louis both felt and heard the rattle in her chest, she started crying harder. “Oh you’re sick baby.” Louis pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.

“Daisy, love, stop crying honey, calm down a little so you can tell Daddy’s what’s wrong.” Louis rubbed her back and rocked her. Wincing when she coughed again, it took him a few minutes to calm her down but eventually she was reduced down to sniffles, silent tears still rolling down her face.

“Are you hurting anywhere?” Louis asked her.

“Owie in my ear.” she told him.

“Which one?” he pulled back so he could see her touch both her ears.

“Alright love, let’s go do something about that.”

She laid her head back on his shoulder and he walked with her back to his room, only to be met with Liam coming out of it.

“She’s sick Liam, she’s got a fever, and probably an earache.” he said to him.

“Erin just threw up all over our bed.” Liam said as a response.

“Papa this is gross!” Erin shouted from the bedroom.

Louis and Liam looked towards Erin’s shout, and then down at Daisy who was shifting uncomfortably on Louis’ shoulder, then they shared a look with each other.

“I’m not good with vomit.” Louis said.

“You’re the only one who can get Dais to take the medicine anyway.” Liam returned.

“Do you want to grab it for me then, cause if I go in there you might be cleaning up after both of us.” Louis said.

Liam smiled slightly and then disappeared back into the bedroom, seconds later, Erin poked her around the door and peered sheepishly, at Louis.

“Daddy I’m really sorry I made a mess on your bed. I just woke up and saw there was throw up everywhere.” Daisy widened her eyes, hoping she wasn’t in trouble.

“It’s alright honey, it was an accident, you couldn’t help it. You and Dais aren’t feeling super great this morning.”

Daisy let out a small cry of pain, hands coming up to her ears again.

“What’s wrong with Daisy?” Erin asked.

“She’s got a fever, and an earache.” Louis rubbed Daisy’s back. “Is your tummy hurting?”

“It wasn’t when I woke Papa up earlier, my head just hurt, but now it does, and my head still hurts.” Erin explained to him. “It’s only this big now.” she threw her hands out only half as far as she showed for Liam earlier.

“Did Papa give you medicine?” Louis asked.

“Just aspirin, he said I didn’t have to have the drinking one because I only had a headache, and no fever.” Erin frowned. “Am I going to have to take the other one now?”

“Probably.” Louis nodded.

Liam returned, handing over a couple of bottles of medicine and the thermometer to Louis.

“Should we be safe and keep her from school today?” Liam settled his hand on Erin’s head.

“Probably.” Louis nodded.

“I’ll call in to work then.” Liam said. “Get someone to cover for me.”

“You don’t have to.” Louis told him.

Daisy gave another rattling cough at the same moment, Erin put her hand over her mouth and rushed into the bathroom.

“It’ll be fine.” Liam smiled.

“Daddy.” Daisy whined into Louis’ ear. “Owie.”

“I know darling, we’re going to get you medicine right now.” Louis soothed her.

Louis couldn’t help but look at Liam and sigh, shaking his head a bit, Liam just smiled.

“Good morning?” Liam offered.

“Good morning.” Louis smiled back. “It’s going to be a long day.”

“It’s not even eight o clock yet.” Liam smiled, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to Louis’ lips, and then one to the back of Daisy’s head. “You need to put clothes on, before you get sick.”

“I never get sick.” Louis scoffed.

“Yeah, we’ll see.” Liam rolled his eyes.

“Papa!” Erin called from the bathroom. “I got it on the floor!”

“All the power to you babe.” Louis gave Liam a nod and turned back to Daisy’s room.

~

Louis had always known that he wanted children. Growing up with four little sisters some people might’ve thought he wouldn’t want his own. Absolutely not the case with Louis, he loved kids, he was good with kids, it was something that just came natural to him. He’d always thought he’d end up being the parent that loved his kids more, spoiled them the most, let them get their way the most. Then he met Liam, Liam was almost like a big kid himself, who loved kids just as much as he did. It didn’t take Louis long at all, he was absolutely certain within the first four months of dating Liam that he wanted to marry him, that he wanted his kids with Liam. Though it took two years of dating, and another two years of being married before they got Erin.

They both wanted kids, but Liam had them wait, told Louis they should make sure they were both steady with jobs, in a house of their own that would also be big enough for kids. Plural, because there was no way either of them would just settle for one. So they waited, and with Liam being a personal trainer, and Louis working at a primary school, they were finally ready, mentally and financially to start their family.

They agreed on a surrogate, wanting their kids to be a part of them. Erin came first, she turned out to be the quietest most content baby ever. Until she started to walk and talk, then she was loud, and opinionated, and it was only right that she turned out to be biologically Louis’. As much as a handful Erin was, Louis and Liam were more than a little sad when she started primary. It was Liam who had the empty nest syndrome the worst, his work schedule permitted him to be home with Erin the most, so he felt it a bit odd when suddenly she just wasn’t home anymore. He was almost jealous of Louis, who still got to see her when she was at school.

So then came Daisy, with the same surrogate, though this time she turned out to be Liam’s. It was Daisy that helped Louis make the decision that he’d turn to a stay at home dad. He loved working at the school but he loved being with his girls even more.

Family breakfasts, walking Daisy to school, during the day Louis had the house and Daisy to himself, until three o clock when Liam came home, and they’d pick Erin up from school at half three and then they’d come home and everything after that was a blur of dress ups, hide and seeks, coloring, and all the dramatics of having two little girls.

It happened to be Louis and Liam’s life, and they loved every bit of it just as much as they loved each other. There was nothing that they’d change it for.

Even days like these when both girls were sick. A dramatic eight year old, and a helpless three year old, both very ill, both handling it very differently, and two fathers struggling to balance them.

“Have they ever both been sick like this?” Louis leaned against the wall outside of Daisy’s bedroom.

It’d been three hours and she finally managed to get back to sleep. Louis had a full out war trying to give her medicine, which she promptly spit back up. He usually had it pretty easy with getting Daisy to take medicine, usually he’d just have to plead with her, promise her a treat for later, and she’d swallow it down no problem. Not today, she screamed, and cried, and made his ears hurt. He had finally resorted to slipping it in her juice cup. He knew better than to mix it but he decided that diluted medicine was better than no medicine at all.

Liam on the other hand had an even tougher time with Erin. She just wouldn’t calm down. She wasn’t so much in pain like Daisy was but she made it known to Liam every few seconds, that she was not well. She wouldn’t sit still, too fidgety, but every time she moved too quickly she’d sway and rush to the toilet. She’d miss a few times, and then announced it to Liam before apologizing and repeating it all over again. Liam tried bribing her, begging her, even scolding her, but she just couldn’t stay still.

“Not both of them.” Liam sat in the middle of the hallway, folding up a few towels he’d washed after Erin’s accident in their bedroom. “Our bedding is in the wash, but I put the blue set on it for now.”

“Is Erin asleep?” Louis asked.

Liam snorted and raised his eyebrows. “I’ve never seen that girl fight so hard. She’s settled for now. Watching Cinderella. I slipped the sleep medicine in her juice, so if she’s not out soon, I’m going to down the bottle myself.”

“Liam James!” Louis scolded.

“I’m just saying.” Liam shrugged, though smiling now. “You would think a normal kid would want to relax, she got a day off from school, but no, she’s bouncing off the walls.”

“Gee, I wonder where she gets it from.” Louis grinned.

“Definitely not from her daddy, not at all.” Liam shook his head.

Louis held his hands out to Liam. “While we have a small break, let’s go shower.”

“We don’t have enough time for both of us to shower.” Liam cautioned him.

“Nonsense, I have faith in us.”

They indeed had enough time to shower, Louis had coerced Liam into showering _together,_ but then their shower was just that, theirs, the minute they stepped back out of it, their time turned back into the girls time. They found Daisy curled in the middle of their bed.

“Honey.” Liam called to her.

She turned to them, and they both had a shot to their heart with the look on her face. She was in pain, she looked exhausted in a way no three year old should ever look, especially not theirs.

“Baby do your ears still hurt?” Louis asked her.

“No.” she shook her head, and then she touched her nose. “Nose is stuck.”

“Stuffy nose, let’s blow it.” Louis grabbed a couple of tissues from them bedside table and went to her. Daisy sat up and blew in the tissue Louis held for her. It didn’t seem to help, she was still breathing through her mouth.

Louis set a hand on her forehead and was relieved to feel that she wasn’t as warm as she was earlier.

“You maybe think we should take her to hospital?” Louis wondered, looking up at Liam.

“Not yet, not unless her fever goes back up.” Liam went over and kneeled in front of Daisy. “Dais does your chest hurt?”

She shook her head, and swayed a bit, before finally laying down with her head in Louis’ lap.

“She should try to eat something. You think Erin will be up to trying something, we could make her broth.” Louis suggested.

“I think Erin’s going to throw up anything that gets close to her mouth. I’d rather not risk it.” Liam declined.

“No you’d rather not clean it.” Louis accused.

Liam pinched Louis in return.

“Sweetheart do you want to eat?” Liam asked Daisy.

“Toast.” she whispered, eyes still closed.

“Toast, we can do toast.” Liam nodded, he picked her up and she immediately curled into his chest.

“Heey. She’s my charge.” Louis complained.

“Says who?” Liam challenged.

“Says Erin, when she chose to wake **you** up this morning.” Louis smiled triumphantly and held his hands out for Liam to hand Daisy over.

“How about I make you a deal.” Liam started.

“A deal?” Louis raised an eyebrow. “These always work out really well, go on then.”

“We trade kids, and, you can top, for the whole week.” Liam offered.

“That’s not going to work.” Louis shook his head, “We trade anyway.”

“Yes, we trade off but I get four out of seven, and you get three. So this is basically getting my four days, plus your three.” Liam reasoned.

“I know how to count love, thank you.” Louis said. “Not going for it.”

“Okay.” Liam sighed, trying to think. “You get the whole week, and, morning wake ups.”

Louis’ eyes flashed bright then, smile creeping up.

“Morning wake ups. You’ve got yourself a deal Li.” Louis agreed.

Liam smiled. “Shall we shake on it?”

“A kiss will do.” Louis told him.

Liam chuckled and leaned down to press a kiss to Louis’ lips.

“Good doing business with you.” he said.

“You have no idea what you’ve just done Liam James, watch me work.”

~

Turns out, the only person that can be more dramatic than Erin, is Louis. As a result, the only thing that got Erin to quiet down, was Louis trying to out do her. Clearly there was only room for one person to be loud and Erin did not like being shown up. The second Louis made a bigger scene than Erin, she gave up. She finally sat quiet long enough for Louis to take her temperature, and give her medicine. Erin screamed about it, and Louis screamed louder in a higher pitch and Erin went silent, staring up at Louis with a glare as she swallowed down the medicine.

“If you can’t beat em, join em.” Louis smiled sweetly at Liam who looked on rather bitter about it from the doorway.

“I will not resort to eight year old tactics.” Liam stated.

”Then you lose.” Louis said matter of factly.

Erin was finally able to keep the medicine down, and a couple pieces of toast. Louis stayed in her bed and watched a movie with her until she fell asleep. Then he ventured out back to Daisy’s room where Liam stood with her in the middle of the room, rocking her and singing softly in her ear.

Daisy still looked completely helpless, eyes dilated, nose red.

“She’s getting worse Lou.” Liam told him. “She cries every time she coughs. I used that vapor rub and it loosened up her nose, but she still sounds terrible.”

“Maybe we should take her to hospital.” Louis said touching her forehead again, she was back to being hot. “She’s never this quiet, either.”

“Are we both going to go? What about Erin?” Liam wondered.

“Erin could probably use a doctor too.” Louis ran his hands through his hair.

“Erin and doctors? Come on Lou.” Liam snorted.

“I know.” Louis sighed.

He was torn, he didn’t want to not go with Daisy to the hospital, but, he also didn’t want to leave Erin when she was feeling ill as well.

“Let’s call Zayn.” Liam said. “Have him sit with Erin for a bit, and if she gets any worse then you can come back.”

“Niall instead.” Louis suggested. “He can keep up with her better than Zayn can.”

“Zayn doesn’t really keep up with anyone really. Niall will rile her up. She’ll be bored with Zayn and have no choice but to rest.”

“Niall and Zayn then.”

“Might as well call Harry too if you do that.”

“Absolutely not. I want them looked over, not have the house destroyed.” Louis reasoned.

“Zayn then.” Liam said finally.

“Zayn.”

~

Daisy did have a earache, and by the time they’d gotten her into a doctor, her fever had also reached as high as it’d been all day. Louis was relieved that they knew exactly what was wrong with her. He wasn’t, thrilled at all, with the way they wanted to treat her. Wanting to give her a shot of antibiotics for to clear up her cough.

“I don’t like that Liam, can’t they just give her a liquid, she doesn’t like needles.” Louis was anxious.

Daisy was playing with one of her toys they’d brought along to keep her distracted. She was finally looking a bit herself, eyes a little brighter, her nose a bit more cleared. Louis hated to think in a minute she’d be crying.

“It’s quicker this way Lou. And a lot cleaner, they don’t want to have to fight with her to take it by mouth.” Liam explained, rubbing Louis’ back.

“Okay so then we will? Liam she’s going to see that needle and go completely mental. We might have to bribe her for a while and she might spit it out a few times but she’ll eventually just take it. We’re a getting liquid medicine to take home anyway, what’s the difference?”

Louis was getting angry. He knew his child better than doctors, he knew how she would react, he wasn’t looking forward to it.

“I have to potty.” Daisy told them.

“It’s just a few more minutes honey and then we’ll go home.” Louis said.

The nurse returned carrying a tray with the equipment on it and Louis quickly turned Daisy away from her, so that Daisy was facing him now.

“She doesn’t do well with those” Liam said to the nurse, referring to the needle. “It’d be easier for everyone if you tried to make sure she doesn’t see it.”

Liam’s warning was for nothing because the second Daisy heard someone behind her she turned around. It took a few more seconds before she realized what was going to happen and turned fully around.

“It’s a pokey. I don’t want a pokey.” she stood up on the bed and backed into Louis’ chest.

“Daisy it’s just got medicine in it, it’ll make you feel better, so your ears don’t hurt anymore.” Liam told her.

“No it’s a pokey.” she insisted. She was used to the medicine she had to drink, this was not the same kind.

“It’ll be over really quickly honey, and then we go home, and then we can see sister, and then later on when you’re both feeling better, we can make cookies.”

“No cookies, no pokey.” her eyes started to well with tears, she was getting the feeling that she was being trapped in this and it was making her panic. She buried her face in Liam’s chest.

“It will be quick, just in and out.” the nurse confirmed Liam’s words.

“She doesn’t have to take it, and you can’t give it to her unless we say so.” Louis felt a bit immature about taking that route but he wasn’t going to sit and let someone stick a needed in their daughter when she clearly didn’t want it.

“But we do say so.” Liam said.

“Liam!” Louis glared at him. “She is scared!”

“And she is sick, Louis.” Liam reminded him.

“So she can fucking take it later then, when she’s at home, and calm, and comfortable.” Louis was feeling a little bit betrayed. That Liam was arguing against him. He knew that Daisy was sick, and that she did need the medicine, but he didn’t see the importance of them forcing it on her right now. It wasn’t going to make a difference whether she took it now or in another when they were at home in another hour.

“Louis don’t be difficult about this, please. It’s just a shot.” Liam really didn’t feel like arguing with Louis anymore about it. “When it comes down to it, **I** have the final say with her.”

Liam instantly regretted the words as soon they were out of his mouth he felt his own face drop into surprise that he’d actually said it.

Louis felt like he’d been punched in the gut, all the air leaving his lungs.

“ ** _What_**?” Louis gasped. “What did you just fucking say?!”

“I’m sorry Lou, fuck I didn’t mean it like that. That didn’t come out like I meant it to.”

“How the fuck did you mean it then Liam?!” Louis demanded “How did that possibly have any other meaning to it?”

“Sir I have to ask you to keep your voice down.” the nurse asked in a hush.

“Fuck off.” Louis snapped at her, before turning back to Liam. “I cannot believe you would ever say that to me, Liam.”

“I’m sorry, Lou.” Liam reached out to him but Louis stepped out of his reach.

“I will never forget that Liam.” He looked away from Liam and then tugged on Daisy’s hand.

“Lovey you be a good girl.” he cupped her face, and wiped the tears that were already falling down her cheeks. “Be a big girl, don’t cry. Daddy will see you in like two minutes okay?”

He was clearly being overruled here, and he was not going to stick around for it. He was not going to be able to handle watching his daughter cry over something that could’ve been avoided. As much as it killed him to leave her, it would be worse if he stayed.

“Love you Dais.” he told her.

“Love you Daddy.” she said back.

He didn’t spare another glance to Liam before he walked out.

He’d only got halfway down the hall when he heard Daisy’s ear piercing shriek and then her start to wail. He stuttered in his step and forced himself out to the waiting room.

He was too angry to cry, his hands shook but he breathed through it and five minutes later Liam came out, Daisy on his hip. Her face was red and puffy and she was still sniffling, despite the lolly she gripped in her hand and the golden star sticker on her shirt.

Louis went to her instantly, and took her from Liam, kissing the side of head and hugging her to his chest.

“Louis.” Liam started.

“Don’t talk to me right now Liam.” Louis said.

“I’m sorry, Lou please.”

“I don’t care right now.” Louis turned and walked ahead of him.

Louis still said nothing, and ignored Liam’s attempts to apologize the whole ride home. He was still so angry that he didn’t even say a thing to Zayn when he entered the house, he stalked past him and went upstairs, Daisy still on his hip.

Zayn was only slightly confused about Louis’ behavior.

“What’s up with him?” he asked when Liam finally made it inside.

“I fucked up, and said something really horrible to him at the hospital.”

“You? Say something mean to Louis? Hell has frozen over. What the hell could you have possibly said to make Louis so angry he’s speechless.” Zayn was amused and really curious.

“We had a disagreement about Daisy getting an antibiotic shot.” Liam leaned on the counter and dropped his head into his hands. “And I might have implied that he didn’t have absolute control over Daisy because she’s. . .”

Liam wasn’t actually going to say it out loud. It hurt to even think about now.

“Implied?” Zayn questioned.

“I told him I have the say so over Daisy.” Liam whispered.

It was quiet for a full minute before Zayn could respond, and even when he did he stuttered for a few seconds.

“Well. How you’re still alive is beyond me, I would’ve strangled you by now. So either Louis must love you a fuck ton, or, he doesn’t really want to father two girls by himself. I’m getting out of here before Louis tries to find a way to murder you and make it look like an accident.”

Zayn grabbed his keys and his phone off the counter and clapped Liam on the back.

“I hope you survive the night.”

“Thanks.” Liam mumbled.

“Erin’s been fine the whole time.” Zayn added on. “Got her to eat a few pieces of toast, she kept it down all right, she’s watching a movie. In Daisy’s room, because she was anxious about when she was coming back and didn’t want to miss her.”

“Thanks Zayn.” Liam said.

“Anytime.” Zayn nodded. Liam waited until Zayn was gone, and then gave Louis another five minutes before he went up to find him.

He was in Daisy’s room, changing her into pajamas since she was now fast asleep. Erin laid in Daisy’s bed, eyes flitting back between the telly and Louis. But then she spotted Liam in the doorway.

“Hi Papa!” she said as quietly as she could.

“Hi sweetheart. How are you feeling?” Liam asked going over to her.

“I’m alright. Uncle Z made me this really weird tasting tea, but after I drank it my head felt loads better, and I ate some toast, and I haven’t thrown up since before you and Daddy left.” she said that last part proudly.

“That’s wonderful Erin.” Liam stroked her face. “You’ll probably feel normal tomorrow.”

“Do I have to go to school tomorrow?” she wondered.

“We’ll see on how you’re feeling.” Liam said.

“Daddy said Daisy’s got to take medicine every few hours. Is she going to be okay?”

“She’s going to be alright, she’s just a different kind of sick then you are but the medicine is going to help loads.”

“Can I sleep in here with her?”

“Only if you promise not to throw up all over her.” Louis answered before Liam could, he was only teasing her, he came over and tucked Daisy into bed next to Erin.

“Eww Daddy.” Erin grimaced. “I won’t, promise.”

“Be careful of this arm okay.” Louis pointed to Daisy’s right arm. “It’s going to be sore for her for a little while.

“She got an owie?” Daisy wondered.

“The doctors gave her a shot, it’s not bleeding or anything it’s just really sensitive, try not to touch it.” Liam told her.

“I won’t Papa, I’ll be careful.” Erin promised.

“Get rest okay. I’ll be back later, for you to take one more last cup of medicine, that way it’ll help you sleep through the night. Okay?” Louis said.

Her face scrunched up at the thought but Erin nodded anyway.

“Love you.” Louis kissed her forehead.

“Love you Daddy, I love you too Papa.” she added on.

“Love you munchkin.” Liam kissed her cheek.

Louis switched on the baby monitor, and a night light, then turned off the overhead light. Liam waited for him at the door but Louis just brushed past him and went for their room, Liam closed the girls’ door halfway before following.

“Are you going to ignore me all night?” Liam asked, closing their door halfway.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” Louis kept his voice even as he switched on their half of the baby monitor, he tore his shirt over his head and moved to their closet.

“I know, but will you at least let me explain.” Liam begged, sitting on the bed.

“There is no explanation for what you said, Liam, there is absolutely no justification for that. None.” Louis kept his back turned to Liam as he changed into pajama bottoms, just throwing his clothes on the ground and not bothering to put them in the hamper.

“Okay, you’re right, I’m just stupid then, I’m sorry Louis. Nothing I can say is going to make it better. But I am sorry.”

“You’re not stupid though Liam, you’re fucking brilliant, that’s what bothers me, because I know you said it, knowing what that would do to me.” Louis threw his wallet on the dresser and plugged his phone in to the charger.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Lou, you have to know that, I wouldn’t do it on purpose.” Liam was getting a headache, been battling his own mind and tearing himself up on the inside that he was capable of hurting his husband like that.

“Then why did you say it!” Louis demanded.

“I don’t know! I do-” Liam caught himself mid yell, catching Louis’ flinch and glancing towards the door. He took a deep breath. “I don’t know why I said that.”

“Do you really feel like that?”

It was the tremble in Louis’ voice that made Liam look up, seeing the complete hurt on Louis’ face, that he was beginning to cry.

“Do you - do you feel, like we’re separate? That **they’re** separate. Is that something that’s just on your mind every day. That Daisy is yours, and Erin is mine? I mean fuck Liam, I know when you really get to dna samples that they are, but that doesn’t matter to me. I don’t think like that. They’re ours.”

Louis’ voice broke on the last word, and he just began to sob, taking a deep breath in. Liam went to him in a flash, gathering Louis up in his arms, holding him tight.

“I don’t think like that, god, Lou, I don’t.” Liam kissed the top of his head.

“Why w-would you say th-that t-to me.” Louis cried against his shoulder, hand coming up to pound against Liam’s chest, but there was no force behind it. Louis just ended up wrapping his arms around Liam.

“I’m so sorry Louis. I know you’re not going to forgive me easily, or at all, but I’m sorry. I don’t think like that, I promise babe, I don’t.”

“They’re **ours**.” Louis repeated.

“I know Lou.” Liam nodded. “They are ours.”

Louis buried his face in Liam’s chest and gathered himself, taking a few deep breaths. Liam massaged his fingers against Louis’ scalp, and placed kisses in his hair. When Louis got most of his breath back Liam trailed the kisses down to his cheek, below his ear, his neck.

“I love you so much.” Liam whispered. “I’m so sorry I made you cry. Louis I didn’t mean it.”

Louis let out a little hum, hand settling at the back of Liam’s neck as Liam continued to kiss him all over. Turning from lazy and soft, to a bit a harder and quicker.

“You mean the world to me Lou, and I love our girls, you three are it for me.”

Liam sucked a mark on Louis’ neck making him let out a soft moan when he did it to the other side.

“I know you’re so angry with me right now.” Liam nuzzled against Louis’ skin. “Please tell me you love me.”

“Of course.” Louis sighed, he pulled back and cupped Liam’s face, though he was shorter he knew he had Liam in his control. “You married me, and you have me forever, and nothing will make me stop loving you, ever.”

They seemed to have switched places, now Louis was the one holding Liam, but Liam was pressing desperate kisses to Louis’ jaw.

“I love you Liam.” Louis whispered. “So much.”

Liam let out a soft little whimper and tucked his hands into Louis’ waistband. It didn’t take but a few light touches and more kisses to Louis’ neck before he was fully hard in Liam’s hand.

“Make it up to you?” Liam breathed hot against’ Louis ear, stroking Louis’ cock, pulling the skin back as he moved downward.

“You can start.” Louis smiled.

“Let me get down to it then.” Liam pressed one more kiss to Louis’ mouth and then he sank down to his knees; taking Louis’ bottoms with him.

*

Liam was abruptly woken up by a sudden solid weight landing on his back, then in the same fast second it was there, it disappeared and he heard a muffled groan that told him whatever, whoever, it was; had landed on Louis too.

Liam rolled over to see Erin sitting in the middle of their bed, prodding Louis awake.

“Good morning!” she chirped.

“It better be a decent time Erin, if the sun is not up, I’m taking away, everything you own.”

“The sky’s awake! So I’m awake!” Erin fainted over Louis‘ body.

“Someone is feeling better.” Liam noted through a yawn..

“Tell the sky to go back to sleep because Daddy’s tired.” Louis pulled his pillow over his head.

“Daddy you have to get up!” Erin climbed over him and yanked his pillow. “It’s Friday, and I feel so much better today and I have to go to school, and you have to make pancakes for breakfast because it’s Friday.”

“Who taught her how to keep track of the days, are you really feeling better? Can’t you be a normal kid and fake being ill, you can skip school again if you want to. I won’t object.” Louis told her.

“No I **want** to go to school.” Erin whined. “Daddy get up. Papa tell him get up.”

“Daddy get up.” Liam poked Louis’ side.

“Why can’t you make breakfast?” Louis complained but sat up.

“I’m terrible with pancakes.” Liam admitted.

“Yeah Papa’s aren’t good.” Erin frowned.

Liam wasn’t even offended by that comment because it was true.

“You certainly do look like you’re feeling better. No tummy ache?” Liam asked her.

“Nope, head feels normal sized too.” Erin told him.

“Well we’ll see how you make it through breakfast before we decide on letting you go to school. Where’s your sister?” Louis stepped out of bed.

“She’s still in bed, she’s awake though.” Erin said.

“Alright, Erin you and I can go start breakfast while Papa checks on Daisy.” Louis held his hand out to her, she took it and jumped off the bed.

“Pancakes!” she shouted.

“Pancakes.” Louis repeated with less enthusiasm as Erin pulled him out the room.

~

It was a normal day in the Tomlinson-Payne household. Both girls were feeling better and the usual noise emitted from the hustle and bustle of their kitchen. Louis making breakfast with Erin’s assistance, aka, the two of them making the biggest mess possible; and Liam circling around them, trying to clean up what he could while Daisy ran circles around their feet, singing along to whatever song Louis had playing on the radio.

“Should we slip Daisy’s medicine into her juice?” Liam asked as he poured it out.

“Probably, we’ve already dressed her for the day, I don’t really feel like dressing her again.” Louis nodded. “What time do you have to be in today?”

“First session isn’t until ten. I’ve got time.” Liam measured out Daisy’s medicine and poured it in with her juice, giving her sippy cup a shake before stepping in her tracks.

“Heeey, slow it down you little road runner.” Liam plucked her up on to the counter. “What is on your head?”

“Sunnies!” she chirped, pushing the flower shaped sunglasses down over her eyes.

“Sunnies in the house, how very diva of you.” Liam booped her nose.

“Daddy was the whole egg supposed to have gone in there?” Erin asked. She was frowning down at the batter she was mixing, the shape of a whole egg sitting in the middle.

“Nooo. No it wasn’t.” Louis reached in the bowl and took it out, watching the excess batter drip back down. “You’re supposed to crack them first babe.”

“Uh oh, I’m sorry.” she said.

“No harm done.” Louis cracked the covered egg and let it drop back into the bowl.

“Juice, Papa!” Daisy reached for the cup that Liam was still holding in his hand, just out of reach of hers.

“I’m sorry Dais, here then.” he handed it to her.

Daisy took a drink of it, and then made a face, looking down at her cup, Louis and Liam both waited, to see if she would say anything about the off taste. But it was only a few more seconds before she took another sip of it. Liam laughed and set her back down on the ground, and she trotted off around the counter.

“Well that’s terrible. We drugged our child and she didn’t make a peep. Glad that mixed well.” Louis said, pouring pancake batter into the pan.

“That’s actually a bit of a worry.” Liam mused, pouring out juice for Erin and setting it in front of her.

“Meh, we’ll worry about that more in depth when she’s older and she’s going to all night long parties. If she can’t tell something is in her drink then, well, we’ve failed.

Liam fumbled with a cup and spilled juice all over the counter.

“Louis!”

“I’m kidding.” Louis laughed. “I’m totally kidding. Joking Li.”

“Not funny.” Liam deadpanned.

“I know, but the face you made.” Louis chuckled, and leaned over, kissing Liam on the lips.

“She’s not allowed at parties.” Liam muttered against his lips. “Either one of them.”

“I know babe. Locked in shackles until they’re thirty.” Louis nudged his nose against Liam’s cheek.

“Until we’re dead.” Liam amended.

“Fair enough.” Louis nodded, kissing him again.

“Daddy you’re burning them!” Erin shrieked. “And no kissing in the kitchen! That’s gross!”

“Gross!” Louis pulled away from Liam and then dipped his finger in batter and slung it at Erin, splattering some of it on her nose, and a bit in her hair.

“Eww! It’s in my hair!” she put down her mixing spoon and stomped out of the kitchen.

“We get ten more years of that.”

~

“She’s totally plotting your death Li, look at her. She’s eating and wondering if she throws it at the right angle if it’ll stick to your forehead.”

“Stop Louis, don’t give her any ideas.” Liam elbowed Louis out the wall.

“She’s hating you for bringing her out into the cold.” Louis continued.

Daisy was stuck in her stroller, waiting by the front door with Liam to walk Erin to school. Daisy wasn’t too fond at being stuck in the stroller, she liked to walk but walking to school was a bit much for her; she usually got tired and Liam would have to carry her. Erin’s school wasn’t far for the other three, and as much as Daisy liked to think she was a big girl, she wasn’t quite that big.

“She is glaring super hard.” Liam noted. “Dais, smile, stop glaring at Papa.”

He reached down to tickle her side but she only looked up at him, eyes blank as she took a bite of her leftover pancake.

“Only kid I know that doesn’t smile while eating a flapjack.” Liam sighed, shaking his head.

She chewed and side glanced at him clearly not giving him the time of day right now. Louis laughed and wrapped his arms around Liam’s waist, leaning up on his toes to hook his chin over Liam’s shoulder.

“Daisy, you want to stay home all by yourself, while we take Erin to school?” he asked her.

“No.” she said, giving the same despondent look to Louis.

“Are you going to smile at all?”

“No.”

Louis furrowed his eyebrows and then looked around, he spotted one of the spirit hoodies on the coat rack and reached for it.

“What if we make Papa wear the bunny hat.” Louis fitted the hat on Liam’s head, messing with the floppy ears. “Do the face.”

Daisy cracked a smile, and then scrunched up her face, wiggling her nose like a rabbit.

“Papa’s turn.” Louis nudged Liam.

Liam sighed, and then wiggled his nose too, and then added a little hop as he did it again.

Daisy fell into a fit of giggles, her eyes shining bright now, like usual.

“There’s our girl, love that smile.” Louis wiggled his nose too and made Daisy shriek louder with her giggles.

“You people are insane.” Liam shook his head, but he was smiling.

“You love us.” Louis pinched Liam’s side.

“Yes I do.”

~

After returning from walking Erin to school it was time for Liam to get ready for work. Taking a shower and making sure his gym bag was packed. While he got ready, Louis and Daisy danced around the bedroom, singing to the radio again.

Daisy had donned the spirit hoodie now, walking around in her onesie and a different pair of sunglasses back on her eyes.

Louis led their dance party into the bathroom where Liam was just finishing shaving.

“Oooh, I was hoping you were going to shave this morning, you were giving me rug burn.” Louis teased.

“I can give you real rug burn if you want it.” Liam offered, raising his eyebrow at Louis.

“Heeey, little ears.” Louis glanced at Daisy, though she was paying them no mind, Louis edged up closer to Liam, leaning on his toes and crowding Liam against the sink. “Might take you up on that though.”

“Yeah?” Liam murmured.

“Yeah.” Louis nodded.

Liam turned around and leaned down a couple of inches, making Louis a bit taller than him. Louis pressed up against him and draped his arms over Liam’s shoulders.

“We might have to let the girls spend the night with their uncles huh?” he said.

“Just might.” Liam nodded, running his hands up Louis’ back.

Louis pushed his fingers through Liam’s hair, massaging them against Liam’s scalp; Liam titled his head up, resting cheek to cheek with Louis, just breathing him in.

“You going to be back in time to get Erin?” Louis questioned quietly.

“Aren’t I always?” Liam said with a smile.

“Yes.” Louis nodded.

“Okay.” Liam nodded too, pressing a kiss to the corner of Louis’ mouth. Louis turned to kiss him full on but he was interrupted by a tugging at the hem of his shirt.

“Have to potty.” Daisy told them.

“Oooh Daisy has to potty.” Liam leaned down first and plucked her up. “Daisy has to potty Daddy.”

Daisy’s potty training was an up and down roller coaster for them. Sometimes she stuck to their routine, and other times she just had accidents. Louis and Liam asked her to let them know when she had to go, just so they were aware of how often throughout the day she was going. Daisy usually stayed good about that, because she was fond of the award she got when she did make it in her chair.

Sweets were the only thing a three year old cared about.

“Do you want to save the walk all the way to your potty chair and just go in the sink?” Liam asked her.

“Nooo.” Daisy frowned. “I potty in my chair.”

“Potty in your chair? Why do you want to potty in your chair if you can just go in the sink?” Louis played along.

“Cause I potty in the chair, like a big girl.”

“Ayeeee, like a big girl. That’s right.” Louis tickled her. “You hear that Li? She’s a big girl.”

“I heard that.” Liam nodded, stroking the back of his fingers across her cheek.

“I have to potty!” Daisy said again, this time a little more impatient.

“Alright, alright, we’re going.” Louis held his hands out to her and she leaned over to him. “Papa has to finish getting ready for work anyways.”

~

After Liam goes to work, and before he comes back home for a quick hour and a half to pick up Erin; Louis and Daisy have the house to themselves. It’s in that time that Louis gets his time with his youngest, his baby. Louis subjects himself to tea parties and dress up games and if he knows the names of every single stuffed toy Daisy has in her room, then he’s just being a good father. It’s in those hours spent with Daisy that he learns about her, as much as there is to learn about a three year old anyway. What she likes and doesn’t like seems to change everyday and Louis thinks any other person would be exhausted trying to keep up with her; but he’s Louis, and he was made for this, he believes, made to be a father. So he does the tea parties, because it makes Daisy happy, and that’s all really Louis wants out of his days. To keep his children happy, make sure they know they’re loved.

In between the tea parties, Louis cleans, as well as Louis cleans. Which only means he keeps from making bigger messes. He does make sure that Erin’s room is clean, because he knows when she comes into it she’ll be tired and she’ll just drop her things in the middle of the floor and leave them there until she gets the energy back to pick them up. He makes sure the kitchen is clean so that Liam has the room to make Erin (everyone really) an after school snack. Everything else is Liam’s area, he gets picky about where certain things should be and Louis learned a long time ago to just let Liam do it himself, because Louis will never get it right.

As much as Louis loves his one on one time with Daisy, he also can’t wait until Erin is back home, the house is louder when she’s chattering away about everything.

Like clockwork, Liam is back in the house at three, Daisy and Louis are already ready for the walk to go get Erin from school. Daisy’s always more excited to go the second time, whether it’s because it’s not so early now, or she’s excited to get her sister back, she’s a lot chattier.

“Liam.” Louis sniffed at him as they walked along the sidewalk. “You kind of smell.”

“I know, I’m sorry, didn’t have time to shower, I didn’t want to be late.” Liam explained.

“Okay no, babe, you have full permission to be late for everything if it means you don’t show up smelling like that.”

“It is not that bad, Jesus Louis.” Liam is almost offended.

“Papa you smell.” Daisy pinched her nose.

“It is **not** that bad.” Liam grumbled. “I’ll shower when we get back.”

“Please do.” Louis sighed, but he leaned over kissed Liam on the cheek, letting him know that he’s kidding, just a little bit.

~

Liam and Louis are a little shocked when they find Erin waiting at her usual spot, she’s holding a small cage and there’s a fluffy grey something inside of it. Erin’s bouncing on her toes but she waits until they’re close enough before she shoved the cage into Louis hands.

“Mr. Flip Flop!”

“Mr. Flip Flop?” Louis questioned, holding the cage up to get a closer look to see a small rabbit inside. “Uh oh.”

“Erin who gave you a rabbit?” Liam wanted to know.

“Bunny?” Daisy asked leaning up and trying to get a look too.

“I found him Papa, he was in the grass and I showed the teachers and they got me a cage and told me I could keep him.”

“Keep him?” Louis let out a startled laugh and covered his mouth turning to Liam. “She found a rabbit, oh god.”

“Erin, we can’t keep a rabbit you just found. You have no idea where it came from.” Liam reasoned.

“But I already named him!” Erin said, she reached up and took the cage back from Louis, afraid that they would rid of it right then. “Papa he’s just a baby.”

“It’s kind of cute.” Louis nodded.

“Louis.” Liam gave him a warning look.

“Erin, Papa’s right honey.” Louis backtracked. “We don’t know where it came from and it could have diseases.”

“But it’s Friday all the teachers have gone and I can’t just put it back in the grass, he’s a baby, he’ll die.”

“I hold it?” Daisy asked stretching her hands for the cage.

“But he is a baby, so that means he’s too little to be a pet right now.” said Liam.

“Can we just keep it for the weekend?” Erin pleaded. She turned the eyes on them. Wide, hopeful, and excited.

Louis let out a defeated sigh, he wasn’t up to telling Erin no when she looked so hopeful like that.

“I don’t mind keeping it for the weekend.” Louis allowed, turning up to Liam. “But it’s up to Papa.”

Liam knew better than to think he could say no, after Louis said yes, because now he’d end up disappointing the entire family. He grimaced at the thought of them getting attached to a rabbit. It definitely was not the dog they had agreed to get for Daisy’s upcoming birthday. But he knew Erin would just end up fretting over the rabbit if they got rid of it today. She did name it after all.

“Not the whole weekend. Just until tomorrow, and then we need to take it a shelter or something. We cannot keep a rabbit.” Liam decided.

Erin went to argue but Louis covered her mouth with his hand.

“Deal.” he said. “She agrees. You agree, love, right?”

Erin nodded, and then licked Louis’ hand, he brought it away with a yelp, she pushed the cage back into Louis’ hand and then took Daisy and her stroller from Liam and set off down the sidewalk.

Louis laughed and gave Liam a shrug as they followed Erin.

“We have a rabbit.” he said.

“We do not have a rabbit.” Liam shook his head. “We can’t keep it Louis.”

“I know, but it’s funny. Only our kid would find a rabbit of all things and want to keep it.” Louis was still smiling fondly at it through it’s cage. “Pretty sure the teacher was not allowed to just let her handle it.”

“They should’ve taken it.” Liam shook his head. “Erin is going to have a right fit when we have to get rid of it.”

“I’m going to have a right fit because we have to baby sit a rabbit tonight.” Louis sighed sadly, but then a second later his face lit up. “On the other hand we can fuck like rab-”

“Do not!” Liam slapped his hand over Liam’s mouth. “Do not finish that sentence, Louis, god.”

Louis only smiled, pushing Liam’s hand away and intertwining their fingers.

“I’m just saying.” he shrugged. “You should see how hard you blushed.”

“You shouldn’t be allowed to speak sometimes.” Liam smiled in spite of himself.

~

Louis and Liam decided to keep the girls at home. Daisy started getting fussy when they started to pack her overnight bag and cried hard enough to where she made herself throw up. Liam didn’t want to subject anyone else to her tantrum, or make her anymore upset as well.

Louis and Liam were halfway through making dinner, stumbling around Daisy who took up post in the middle of the floor, banging on pots and pans. No one knew if she was trying to help with dinner or trying to make music. She was entertained either way.

“Umm, Daddy, Papa.”

Erin tip toed around the corner, she looked like as though she was looking for something.

“Umm, Erin.” Louis mocked her.

“I might have lost something.” Erin said, she opened a bottom cupboard and peered inside it.

“What did you lose babe?” Liam asked.

“Umm.” she leaned up on her toes.

“She ‘ums’ when she doesn’t want to tell us something, have you noticed that?” Louis said. “She gets that from you.”

“I don’t say um, and I tell you everything.” Liam argued.

“You do say um, and you both stand just exactly as she is.” Louis gestured to how Daisy was standing with her hands stuffed in her pockets, rocking back on her toes; the second Louis pointed it out she pulled her hands out and held them to her side. “The only difference is she doesn’t have puppy dog eyes.”

“Thank god for that. She gets away with enough.” Liam said almost to himself. “Erin, honey, what did you lose?”

“Bunny!”

Everyone directed their attention to where Daisy had turned over one of her mixing bowls, showing Mr. Flip Flop had been tucked underneath it.

“Nothing!” Erin said in a high voice, she moved quickly over to Daisy. “I didn’t lose anything. Don’t mind me.”

“Erin you weren’t supposed to take him out of the cage.” Louis said.

“I didn’t take him out. He escaped.” Erin scooped the rabbit up in her arms and cradled him.

“How did it get in the kitchen? That’s disgusting.” Liam shuddered.

“Papa don’t be mean to him! He’s a baby.” Erin scolded.

“Don’t be mean to him.” Louis teased, nudging Liam in the ribs.

“I hold it.” Daisy tried to take the rabbit from Erin but Erin tried to keep the hold on it. Then the rabbit hopped out of Erin’s arms and out of the kitchen.

“Come back bunny!” Daisy shrieked and ran after it.

“No Daisy don’t chase him you’ll scare him!” Erin ran out after Daisy.

There was more yelling and then the sound of glass breaking before it fell quiet and then Erin yelling that she and Daisy were okay but she didn’t do it.

“I wanted a dog. We were supposed to get a dog.” Liam reminded Louis.

“We’ll get a dog. Eventually.” Louis smiled and then went to go see what was broken.

~

Mr. Flip Flop had gone into hiding. Daisy had effectively scared it. It vanished after hopping out of Daisy’s arms and up on to a side table, then it scattered when Erin tried to catch him too.

“We have a traumatized rabbit loose in the house. Do you think it’ll start shedding?” Liam wondered.

Louis and Liam had put Daisy for a nap and then turned the whole house upside down looking for the rabbit. They had swept over the entire downstairs, looking under the tables, chair, couches (though Louis wasn’t entirely too sure it would fit under it). They were now looking upstairs (though Louis wasn’t entirely too sure it would’ve got up the stairs considering they have a baby gate blocking the first step.)

“We have two girls. I’m not worried about rabbit hair Li.” Louis laughed emerging from Daisy’s closet, dusting off his shirt. “We should probably vacuum her closet.”

“This rabbit is not up here. I have no idea where else it could have gone.” Liam said getting up from the floor.

They looked everywhere in the both of the girls rooms, under their bed, in their hampers, in the closets, they looked in the bathroom, and even in their room.

“It’s a little bunny though. Can’t really have gone far.” Louis pointed out.

“Papa!” Erin called.

“We have to do something with that rabbit.” Liam sighed.

“If we can find it.” Louis said.

Liam went out into the hall, meeting Erin coming up the stairs.

“The back door to the garden was open, he got outside!” she wailed.

Liam tried not to smile. Erin looked frazzled, her hair gone frizzy, her clothes all wrinkly from having crawling all around the house looking in small spaces.

“Did you see him outside?” Liam asked.

“No but the door was open, and he’s not in the house so he’s gone.” she looked like she wanted to cry, lip starting to tremble.

“Well, honey, he could still be inside, we just have to look a bit harder.” he tried to sound as hopeful as he could for Erin, but he was hoping at the same time that it had escaped. He felt only a little guilty for wishing that. He can see upset she is but, he also knows that she’s eight, and she’s easily distracted with other things.

“I just want to go to my room.” Erin said, sidestepping Liam, and Louis, when he came out of her room.

“Mr. Flip Flop is gone. I don’t want to talk about it.” she said to Louis before he could even ask. She disappeared inside her room and closed the door.

“She didn’t find it dead or anything did she?” Louis made sure.

“No.” Liam shook his head, smiling slightly. “She thinks it got outside. The back door was left open.”

“Liam James!” Louis shoved him. “You are not going to be pleased at the thought of your daughter’s pet running away. You’re terrible.” Louis pinched Liam’s shoulder.

“I’m not pleased.” Liam laughed, trying to dodge Louis hands. “Just slightly hopeful. We’ll get her a dog. We’ll get them both a dog.”

“She’s probably in there crying Liam.” Louis told him. “She really liked that rabbit.”

“And she’ll really like any other pet we get for her. She’ll stop thinking about that rabbit in a few days.” Liam said.

“But she’s thinking about it now.” Louis insisted.

“Lou, are you upset about the bunny too? We can get you a dog too babe.” Liam reached up and cupped Louis’ cheek.

“Fuck off.” Louis gently pushed Liam’s hand away.

Liam kissed Louis’ cheek and then went to go see Erin. She was lying flat on her back in her bed, her eyes flashed to Liam when he came in and she turned to face the wall. Liam got into bed with her, on his stomach so he could see her.

She was frowning, still close to tears.

“Sweetheart.” Liam poked her tummy.

She brushed his hand away but he poked again, and they went back and forth like that until she finally cracked a smile.

“Ah there it is.” Liam smiled. “Honey. It’s just a bunny.”

“But he’s a baby, what if he dies?” she sniffled turning over on her back.

“Erin, he’s a rabbit and he‘s not as little as you think, they’re meant to live out in the wild.” he told her.

“But we live in London, not the wild.”

Liam laughed and pressed his nose against her cheek. “Yes, we do, you’re very right. But trust me, the rabbit will survive on it’s own.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes babe.” he nodded.

“Well maybe it’s good it ran away. Daisy scared it.” Erin frowned, picking at her fingers.

“I think Daisy was a little overwhelmed, it was the first bunny she’s seen up close like that.” Liam said.

“Can we get another bunny?” she questioned.

“No, we cannot get another bunny.” Liam shot it down quickly. “We can get another pet though. Like a dog. Do you want a dog?”

Erin gasped and sat up quickly, her hair whipping his face. “A puppy?!”

“Sure, a puppy works.” Liam nodded.

“I want a puppy, like a little fluffy one, like a snow dog, with those tails that curl at the end.” she gestured with her hand.

“Those dogs get really big you know. They’re only small for like a few months.” he advised her.

“That’s okay!”

Liam laughed. “Okay. We’ll get a puppy. Get one for Daisy too yeah?”

“Yes!” she nodded.

“Alright that’s settled. Let’s go make sure Daddy didn’t eat all the food.” he sat up and turned around for her. “Piggy back ride come on.”

Erin wrapped her arms and legs around his back and he stood up, making sure she was settled.

“Can we do sundaes after?”

“We sure can, might have to send Daddy out for more ice cream but I’m sure he won’t mind.”

Louis did end up making a fuss about having to go out to get ice cream. He took Daisy with him and they came back loaded with sweets, including the ice cream. He used Daisy as an excuse, saying she grabbed for everything and wouldn’t let him put anything back.

After cleaning up the dinner mess and making sundaes they decided to settle in and watch movies, the four of them piling on the floor. Liam stretched out on his stomach, Daisy settling on his back, while Louis and Erin pushed a pillow against his side and laid there.

They lasted through two movies before everyone except Liam started to fall asleep. Any other time he would’ve left them but he wasn’t keen to letting his girls sleep on the floor, and if he was going to wake them up to move them, he was going to take them to their beds. He coaxed Louis awake as well and sent him up to bed while he cleaned up their mess of popcorn and ice cream and made sure doors were locked. Once he was finished he climbed in bed with Louis and settled in for sleep. Only to have Louis turn and wrap his arms around him.

“Hi.” Louis mumbled, lips pressing against Liam’s collar bone. “You left the light on.”

“Sorry.” Liam ducked down and caught his lips, cupping his hand around the back of Louis’ neck.

Louis hummed happily, opening his mouth to let to let Liam’s tongue push past his lips. Their kisses were lazy for a bit, hands roaming, feet tangling.

“Are we getting a rain check for the rug burns then?” Louis questioned.

“I could always throw you on the floor if you really want.” Liam offered. “You’d just have to be quiet.”

Louis let out a low chuckle and pushed Liam over on to his back, climbing over him and bracing his hands on either side of Liam’s head.

“I’m not good at being quiet.”

It sounded almost like a challenge, one Liam didn’t know how to respond to, other than running his hand down Louis’ back, over the curve of his bum.

Louis kissed him again, having a little more behind it this time, he slipped his hands up Liam’s chest, fingers spreading out, pinching his nipple. Liam settled his hands on Louis’ hips, shifting him down until he’s pressed against the bulge starting to tent Liam’s thin sleep bottoms, Louis let a soft moan into his mouth and pressed down against Liam.

“And you’re terrible at keeping me quiet.”

“I like those sounds you make.” Liam said, holding Louis’ hips as he thrust upward, making Louis let out a choked gasp. “I like hearing the sound you make when you want my cock.”

“What makes you think I want it?” Louis raised an eyebrow.

“Do you not? Because I’m pretty tired myself. If you’re not up for it then I’m good.” Liam took his hands off Louis’ hips and made to shift him off.

“I will end you.” Louis threatened.

Liam grinned and brought Louis’ lips to his again.

“Get naked then.” Liam told him.

Louis did as he was told and pulled his shirt over his head, coming back down to kiss Liam. Liam hands tucked under the waist of Louis’ pants and pulled them down under his bum, grabbing a handful and squeezing. Louis sucked on Liam’s tongue, grinding down hard against him, feeling Liam grow harder against him. Louis was sure he could get off just like this, but he wanted Liam all the way, so he reluctantly broke away from the kiss and leaned over to their beside table to open the bottom cupboard.

“Holy shit!” Louis gasped, pulling back quickly.

“What?” Liam sat up to take a look..

Mr. Flip Flop was sitting there, nose twitching.

“Fucking hell.” Liam closed the door back on it.

“Liam no!” Louis was laughing, he opened the cupboard again. “You can’t keep it locked in there.”

“It was already locked in there!” Liam argued.

Louis laughed harder, burying his face in his hands. “It wanted to listen in on the rabbit sex.”

“Louis!” Liam bit back a laugh. “That’s rude. Stop it.”

“It just wanted to listen Li, it can’t have sex itself so it just wanted to listen.” Louis was trying to take breaths in between his giggles.

“I hate you. And I hate that rabbit.” Liam covered his face with his arms. “I cannot believe it was in here.”

“We’re definitely keeping it now.” Louis said. “We have to, he’s destined for us.”

Liam knew there was no arguing, he was not getting away from that rabbit.

“We’ll get him a girlfriend, and have a bunch of rabbits.” Louis planned.

Liam let out a low growl and he flipped over so that Louis was under him now, he straddled his hips, pinning Louis’ hands over his head in one of his. Louis’ smile faded slightly and his eyes flashed dark.

“Well.” Louis breathed.

“We’ll keep the bunny.” Liam said, he palmed Louis’ cock through his pants.

“Okay.” Louis nodded, angling his hips up to keep Liam’s hand on him.

“But we’re still getting the dog.” Liam pulled Louis’ pants down his thighs, wrapping his hand around the base of Louis’ shaft.

“Fuck yes, okay, dogs, you can have all the dogs you want.” Louis agreed quickly, the way Liam was stroking him he’d give Liam anything he asked for right now. “Liam please.”

“You want my cock now?” Liam smirked, thumb pressing against the head.

“Yes, I fucking want it. But I want your mouth first, Li please.” he raised his hips with Liam’s strokes, fucking up into his hand.

“Glad we got this worked out.” Liam smiled, biting the soft flesh of Louis’ tummy before taking Louis in his mouth.

~

Louis was awake first the next morning, a glance at the clock letting him know he had another hour before he should go wake up the girls. They were allowed to sleep in on the weekends but not too late. He stretched out, turning his head around to a still sleeping Liam tucked up behind him, face buried in the crook of Louis’ shoulder.

“Liam.” Louis whispered, kissing along his jaw.

Louis heard a shuffle from the door and turned to see Daisy and Erin shuffling in the doorway, Erin had her arms wrapped around Mr. Flip Flop.

“Daddy look!” Erin whispered yelled.

“I found it!” Daisy let him know, climbing up on the bed, she crawled up the by the pillows and sat next to Louis.

“And where did you find him?” Louis asked, though he knew full well that Liam had put it back in its cage last night.

“He was in his cage, he came back!” Erin’s eyes were lit up with excitement, petting the rabbit and kissing it’s head. Erin struggled to get up on the bed with it still in her arms, so Louis picked her up by her waist. She sat up on her knees set the rabbit on the bed.

“Well he likes you, that’s why he came back.”

Liam was awake now, though it was probably due to Daisy petting his face.

“Good morning.” Liam kissed him.

Louis sat up and reached around to grab Daisy and set her between him and Liam.

“Well he came back but we have to give him away today. Like Papa said, cause we’re getting-” she glanced quickly and Daisy and then mouthed the word dog.

Louis and Liam exchanged a look.

“You don’t want to keep it?” Louis asked her.

“Well, I do, but, I also want the other, thing.” Erin was conflicted, she ran her hand over the bunny again.

“I keep it.” Daisy said, she leaned over and nuzzled her nose against the rabbit’s.

“You can keep it.” Louis told her. “If you want to.”

“Keep it?” her voice cracked, she looked at Liam, unsure.

Liam nodded. “You can keep it.”

“Really? But what about the dog?”

Liam looked at Louis, who blushed and busied himself with running his fingers through Daisy’s tangled hair.

“Still getting one.” he confirmed.

Erin let out a high pitched squeal that made Liam wince, Daisy jump, and sent the rabbit, shooting off towards the head of the bed, hopping to the top of their pillows and burrowing himself under one. Erin launched herself over Louis and tackled Liam into a hug, yelling thank you’s into Liam‘s ear.

“A puppy?” Daisy perked up.

“Oh god.” Louis sighed, he picked Daisy up and tossed her a few inches in the air twice, making her giggle before he caught her again and tickled her. “Yes you little bug, a puppy, we’ll get a puppy. We’ll get all kinds of animals and move to a farm.”

“If we move to a farm can I have a pony?”

“No farms, and no ponies.” Liam said, shifting over to let Erin lay next to him. “We’re good right here.”

Louis leaned back against the pillows, careful not to squish the rabbit and tucked Daisy next to Erin.

“Can this farm go back to bed? This horse can do with a few more minutes of sleep.”

“A horse, that’s ambitious.” Liam commented.

“Hey!” Louis reached over the girls slapped Liam’s arm. “You, hush, just, hush.”

“No hitting.” Daisy spread her arms out, as if she could separate the two of them.

“Well Daddy can be a horse, and I want to be a bunny.”

“Well that’s not a surprise.” Louis tickled Erin’s side.

“Daisy what do you wanna be?”

“A duck!” she yelled.

“Liam that means you’re a pig.” Louis decided.

“I don’t think so.” Liam disagreed.

“You are, you must.” Louis insisted, turning on to his side so he was facing Liam, the girls between them.

“Let’s all be bunnies.” Erin suggested. “Papa doesn’t think Daddy can be a horse, and Papa doesn’t want to be a pig, so we’re all bunnies.”

Liam widened his eyes at Louis and gave him a slight shake of the head, already knowing what Louis could’ve said, Louis winked and grinned.

“I’m good with being a bunny.” Liam said.

“Me too.” Louis agreed.

“A family of bunnies then.” Erin stated.

Mr. Flip Flop hopped out of his place onto the pillows, jumping down and settled on to Daisy’s tummy, making her scream, in turn making the bunny shoot off down to the end of the bed and then off, hopping quickly out of the bed.

“No!” Erin shouted, scrambling off the bed and running after it.

“Me too!” Daisy was a little slower off the bed but she still ran as fast as she could, screaming for Erin and Mr. Flip Flop as she went.

“Jesus.” Louis rubbed his temples, shifting over so lay his head on Liam‘s chest. “Am I going grey yet?”

“Babe you might go bald before you go grey.” Liam threaded his fingers into Louis’ hair.

Louis gasped and bit hard at Liam’s chest, making him yelp.

“Ow! Lou that was hard.” Liam pouted, rubbing over the bite.

“You take that back.” Louis demanded.

“What, that you’ll go bald?” Liam smiled.

“Be quiet!” Louis covered Liam’s mouth with both of his hands. Liam laughed, looking Louis in the eyes and then licked Louis’ palm.

“Gross.” Louis frowned, he pulled his hand away but Liam caught his left wrist, holding it to his mouth. Liam kissed his palm, and then the back of his fingers, and then Louis’ ring. “Liam.”

Louis saw the look in his eyes change, watched as Liam kissed the pad of his ringer finger, and then nipped it lightly. Louis held his breath when Liam took his finger in his mouth, all the way down past the knuckle, and his ring. Liam circled Louis’ ring with his tongue and then pulled back off slow, kissing the tip of his finger again.

“Hot.” Louis amended, pressing his thumb against Liam’s bottom lip.

Liam smiled. Louis made to shift up and kiss him but they heard a crash from the hallway.

“We’re okay!” Erin shouted.

Louis and Liam took a deep breath and let it out, both sitting up to see what kind of mess their girls made now.

“Later.” Liam said.

“Definitely later, want to cash in on my promised rug burns.” Louis kissed Liam’s cheek and pulled on a pair of bottoms. 

Later. Their compromise and promises of later. Because they were a couple, and needed their time for each other, but they fathers first and as much as they loved each other, they loved their girls just a bit more. 


End file.
